The semiconductor industry is continuously moving toward the fabrication of smaller and more complex microelectronic devices with higher performance. The production of smaller integrated circuits requires the development of smaller electronic devices, and closer spacing of those electronic devices within the integrated circuits. After fabrication, many of these integrated circuits undergo a quality analysis to detect failed devices within the integrated circuit. A common indicator for a failed device is a photon emission by the device. Emission microscopy techniques, such as optical microscopy, have been used to detect the photon emission by these failed devices down to a resolution of 2 μm. More recently, other techniques have been developed to detect the photon emission, such as imaging systems utilizing a solid immersion lens with a resolution of 730 nm, or imaging systems utilizing a Fresnel lens with a resolution of 360 nm.
However, devices are now fabricated at sizes well beyond the resolution of the emission microscopy techniques described above. Further, photon emissions by these devices are decreased due to lower working voltages of the devices. Even if a photon emission is detected, determining the specific device attributed to the emission becomes challenging due to resolution limitations. As a result, the ability to detect failed devices is hindered, which in turn may negatively impact quality and operation of the device.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system for detection of a photon emission generated by a device, and methods for detecting the same. Moreover, other desirable features and characteristics of the present embodiment will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.